Bird nest and blockage removal in Los Angeles
A vent hood is a dry, sheltered hole in a wall, and birds notice. A nest, a wad of leaves or a mat of lint at the hood can shut the dryer's only way out. We clear it, at the wall or at the roof cap.
- Nests and debris
- Roof and wall caps
- Open 24 hours
Why nests end up in dryer vents
A hood on the outside wall or a cap on the roof is warm when the dryer runs, dry the rest of the time, and often out of sight. For a bird looking for a spot in spring, it looks like a good one. Twigs, grass, feathers and fluff go in, and the dryer's air has to get past them.
Nests are not the only thing that blocks a vent. Leaves, a pest that has crept in, a hood flap bent shut and lint packed hard against a bend all do the same thing: they stop the moist air at the last step. The cost is paid in the dryer, which runs long, runs hot, and can push heat and lint back into the laundry room.
- Little or no air at the hood while the dryer runs
- A flap that stays open or will not move
- Twigs, straw or feathers near the hood
- Birds going in and out of the hood or the roof cap
- Damp clothes and a dryer that runs hot
What this service does for you
Found at the source
Blockages tend to sit at the hood or just behind it, so that is where the work starts.
Wall or roof
A hood on a wall and a cap on a roof are reached differently. Which one yours is changes how the job goes, so say so when you call.
Flap left working
Once the nest is out, the flap is checked so it opens when air pushes and closes when the dryer stops, which is what keeps the next nest out.
No cover that clogs
Building codes generally keep screens off dryer hoods, because lint packs into the mesh and blocks the air all over again.
What happens at the hood
The work starts outside, where the hood or the roof cap is opened and whatever is in it is taken out by hand, with a vacuum or with a tool made for reaching into a pipe. Then it moves inward along the duct, because a nest rarely stays only where the bird put it.
When the line is clear, the dryer is run and the air is checked at the hood. A steady push of air through the flap is the sign the job is done. If the hood itself is bent, broken or missing its flap, it needs replacing, and that is a repair.
Wild birds, and what to do before anyone arrives
Some wild birds and their active nests are protected by law, and which birds count depends on the species. If you can see eggs or chicks in the hood, leave it alone and say so when you call. Do not push a stick up the pipe: it only drives the nest deeper into the duct.
Keeping the next one out
A hood with a flap that closes when the dryer stops, set clear of the wall or roof surface, is the best protection. Looking at the hood whenever the vent is cleaned catches the early signs before the dryer does.
Questions about this service
How can I tell a bird nest is blocking my dryer vent?
The clearest sign is little or no air at the outside hood while the dryer runs, together with damp clothes and a hot dryer. Twigs, grass or feathers near the hood, or birds going in and out of it, settle the question.
Can you clear a nest from a vent on the roof?
Roof caps are a normal part of the work in apartment buildings and townhomes, where dryer vents go up through the roof. Tell us it is a roof vent when you call, so the visit is planned around it.
There are eggs or chicks in my vent. What should I do?
Stop using the dryer and call. Some wild birds and their active nests are protected by law, so a nest with eggs or young may have to stay until the birds have left. We can talk through what to do next.
Is a mesh cover on the hood a good idea?
No. Lint packs into the mesh and blocks the air the same way a nest does. A hood with a flap that closes when the dryer stops is the better way to keep birds out.
Will the dryer work normally once the vent is clear?
If the nest was the only problem, yes: air leaves, loads dry as they should and the dryer stops running hot. If the duct is also crushed or lint has packed hard inside, a full cleaning or a repair may be needed as well.
Request a cleaning
Describe what you have noticed and leave your number. A call back sets the time.